Meillard completes Olympic collection with dramatic slalom gold

Feb 16, 2026·Alpine Skiing

Loic Meillard made it a trio of medals from Bormio @FIS/ActionPress/Kenjiro Matsuo

Loic Meillard (SUI/Rossignol) completed his Games collection with gold in the Slalom as he collected his third medal of an emotional 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games.

He added gold to the silver and bronze already won here, with Fabio Gstrein (AUT/Atomic) in silver. Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR/Van Deer) finished the Games with bronze in a dramatic finale.

Dreams to Reality

Coming into these Games, Loic Meillard knew he had it in his capabilities to take medals home. After all, he’s the reigning World champion. But he’ll leave the Italian slopes the winner of bronze, silver and now gold from a Games that will never be forgotten.

“It's amazing” the new Olympic champion exclaimed. “It's been long days, a lot of expectations about what you want to achieve, a lot of pressure on yourself. So to make it again, I would say after last year, World Championships, leave with all the medals, with a world title in slalom and an Olympic title this year, it's crazy."

Meillard was first heading into the final runner, with Atle Lie McGrath recording a heartbreaking DNF that ruled him out of the medals and put Meillard once again on top of the world. Even amidst the joy of gold, Meillard had his thoughts with McGrath. “Atle Lie (McGRATH) would've deserved it as well, he was the best skier this season, but that's part of slalom, that's part of sport.”

I had to give it all and try my best. And when I saw some green, I was like, amazing. A third medal, third race. You never know if it's going to be gold or not.– Loic Meillard (SUI) on the feelings he had on his way to the title

Run One

Out first and in charge. It was the case for the GS and it proved to be the same in Monday’s slalom courtesy of Norway’s Atle Lie McGrath (NOR/Head). After a very difficult week away from the snow, the Norwegian burst out at the start and set down a superb 56.14, one which simply couldn’t be bettered by the chasing pack in the morning session.

Loic Meillard (SUI/Rossignol) got closest but was still 0.59s back as the snow fell in Bormio. McGrath’s teammate Timon Haugan (NOR/Van Deer) and Fabio Gstrein (AUT/Atomic) were the only others to keep within a second, 0.94s and 0.96s back as Norway kept eyes on a multiple-man podium. It wasn’t the same joy for Team France though. 2022 champion Clement Noel (FRA/Dynastar) was 1.96s back, with Steven Amiez (FRA/Rossignol) more than four seconds off the pace. Paco Rassat (FRA/Head) couldn’t finish his run, much like the man who made so many headlines on Saturday.

Lucas Pinheiro Braathen (BRA/Atomic) became Brazil’s first ever Winter Olympic medallist when he raced to the GS title days earlier, but it wasn’t to be a double though, a DNF bringing his Games to an early close. The DNFs started to clock up too. Eduard Hallberg (FIN/Fischer), Manuel Feller (AUT/Atomic) and Alex Vinatzer (ITA/Atomic) all failed to make it over the line, though Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR/Van Deer) and Armand Marchant (BEL/Head) did manage to stay in contention.

As the snow continued to fall, the DNFs continued to follow in the pack chasing for progression to the second run. But there was a cause to show appreciation though for AJ Ginnis (GRE/Van Deer) who brought his elite career to a close on his own terms. It was an emotional farewell for an individual who has given so much, saying afterwards: “This is the end. This is my career. It's a long one. It's had its ups and downs. Crazy highlights, crazy lows. It's just great to be able to celebrate it here with friends and family.”

I'm a kid who grew up in Athens, Greece. I spent 16 years in Greece and grew up 200 yards from the ocean. To be able to stand here today – everything ski racing has given me in life, a college degree, security and, most importantly, friends who will stay with me forever. If you could have told that to a 10-year-old AJ and his parents, they would have never believed it.– AJ Ginnis (GRE) after bringing his career to a close

Run Two

With those DNFs in the first, it meant there was an array of nations represented in race two, the likes of Haiti, Chile and Luxembourg all getting their moments. And in more favourable conditions as the weather held off, it saw most racers able to record times for both runs.

It wasn’t the case for Clement Noel though, the reigning Olympic champion unable to complete his second run in the pursuit of defending his title. It left just seven to go, all looking to shift Tanguy Nef (SUI/Atomic) from the top spot after a 57.17 second run. Multiple-time Crystal Globe winner Kristoffersen was the first to do so by 0.89s, Marchant coming in after him but 0.87s back. It left Haugan, Gstrein, Meillard and McGrath to determine how the podium would look.

Haugan dropped into temporary second at 0.29 behind his teammate, but Gstrein secured himself a medal spot with a brilliant run, holding a 0.78s advantage. Slalom World champion Meillard was the penultimate runner, confirming a third medal of these Games as he shifted into the leading position ahead of just McGrath to come.

But it was heartbreak and frustration for McGrath as his second run came to an end early on after straddling a gate, missing out and recording a DNF to secure Meillard’s position as the new Olympic champion.

For full results from the Men’s Slalom, click here

Fabio’s grand moment

For Fabio Gstrein, an Olympic silver will rightly go down as his biggest moment yet. His first run had him in third, and he was able to maintain his pace and precision to get Austria on the final men’s podium here.

“The feelings are great” Gstrein told the media. “It’s really nice that I made a medal! I was in the start gate and in my head, you have to go green light over the finish line and there is a medal for you in there. It was a really nice feeling when I saw the light coming up, and it was worth it.”

I knew I’m fast down here and last week in the slalom there were two or three little mistakes. Today everything went pretty well. I knew I’m very fast when everything comes good and well, and today with the silver medal it’s like a dream come true. – Fabio Gstrein (AUT) looks back at his silver, especially after missing out in the Team Combined last week

Kristoffersen’s collection grows

It’s another major event, another podium for Henrik Kristoffersen. The four-time slalom Crystal Globe winner will take a bronze medal home from these Games, but he admits that it’s a little bittersweet after McGrath’s DNF – but he knows how he’ll be feeling. “A little bittersweet with Atle skiing out in the second run, but that's our sport. I've been there. I was there eight years ago (PyeongChang 2018), I led after the first run and I skied out. That's part of the game…of course, I was here for gold. I think I am good enough for the gold.”

And even though he admits it didn’t feel like his own day today, to be able to make a podium when not at 100% speaks volumes about his abilities. “I didn't feel good the whole run, to be honest. But to get a bronze medal on a bad day is not a bad day."

The Women’s Slalom remains

We’re down to the final alpine event of the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Games, and it promises to be a thriller. The women’s slalom takes place this Wednesday (18 February), the first run at 10:00 CET with the second at 13:30 CET.

In a Games of firsts, of multiple-medallists and home heroes, the Games have showcased the very best of alpine to the wider world. Head to our social media channels to follow all the action from the final event of our Games this Wednesday.